John Grasso Abstract Art

Oil on Canvas

80 cm x 50 cm

Biography

My name is John Grasso and I am a self taught artist, I was Born in Mareeba and now live in Cairns , Surrounded by inspiring Far North Queensland exotic fauna and flora beautiful mountains and Ocean.

The outbreak of COVID 19 was a challenging juncture in my life. Cairns and its surrounds were unpopulated and its desolate streets for years with vacant shops and long days of no visitors to the galleries and boredom and uncertainty. During this time I discovered my newest and intrinsic passion for painting, My first paintings were multiple paintings of Mt Fuji which I called my Japan dreaming series as I was unable to travel to Japan for years during the COVID Pandemic.

My art is influenced and motivated by several diverse artists from around the globe, from varying time periods, styles and movements,also my background in martial arts for most of my life and a love for Japan its culture history and the Samurai Warrior ethics. My inspirations come from Monets Impressionism, to Van Gogh with his striking colours, emphatic brushwork and contoured forms.

The predominant post-war era Abstract Expressionist artist Joan Mitchell, utilizing expressive calligraphic brush strokes and looping slashes of colour, Also Jackson Pollock for his action paintings and Abstract Expressionism. I also enjoy exploring themes including surrealist navigation of the unconscious and Jungian symbolism.

Furthermore, as principal of Australia.Gallery Cairns, I spend most of my daily hours and spellbound by art ancient and contemporary also art of indigenous Australian artists and the desert  art movement, artists such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye, one of our most highly regarded indigenous female artists, born in the remote desert area known as Utopia, north-west of Alice Springs, Emily started painting late in life her remarkable art was inspired by her cultural life also George “Hairbrush” Tjungurrai, Bob Gibson Tjungurrayi, whose abstract mystical artistic style is defined by bold colours and strong geometric shapes and lines , drawing inspiration from traditional Indigenous motifs and Dreamtime stories.

And also Sir George Russell Drysdale, born in England,who developed a new, revolutionary and influential perspective of the Australian landscape and its native people , affects my artwork.
Moreover, as I own, with my wife Kristie, our private collection of Japanese artifacts in Cairns’, Samurai Gallery Australia,the only Japanese museum in Australia Exhibiting and dealing in ancient Japanese artefacts and rare works of Japanese art Samurai Warrior Swords and armor . I also have a powerful affinity to Japanese artists and their unique artworks, such as Kazuo Shiraga, of the Gutai avant-guard movement, whose gestural style I admire.

Ukioy-e style of Japanese art that flourished from the 17th century to the 19th century, producing intricate woodblock prints and paintings depicting varied subjects with artists such as Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige, and Utagawa Kuniyoshi, are equally intrinsic in my work.Also Miyamoto Musashi who was considered one of the greatest Samurai and also later in life became an artist.

I enjoy to paint in a naïve and alla Prima style in Oil paint ; my most loved styles are abstract permitting me freedom and being non-objective, with the use of vibrant and pulsating colours,perspective, more depth, texture and glaze.
I really enjoy painting at my galleries, Australian.Gallery Cairns and Samurai Gallery Cairns, When painting I am captivated and animated by my art galleries’ surrounds and plethora of varied outstanding artworks, including sculptures, and ancient Japanese artefacts and artworks. My passion allows me an escape from the real busy and complex world we live in into a Dreamtime of art, beauty colours and expression.